Roger Locher

[8] On February 21, 1972, Locher took part in the first U.S. Air Force aerial victory in four years at night over northeast Laos, about 90 miles (140 km) southwest of Hanoi.On May 10, 1972, the first major day of air combat in Operation Linebacker, Locher's group was one of two flights of the F-4D MiGCap for the morning strike force.Oyster Flight, composed of four F-4s from the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, had three of its Phantoms equipped with the top secret Combat Tree Identification friend or foe (IFF) interrogators.The APX-80 electronic set could read the IFF signals of the transponders built into the MiGs so that North Vietnamese radar would not shoot down their own aircraft.Displayed on a scope in the WSO's cockpit, Combat Tree gave the Phantoms the ability to identify and locate MiGs when they were still beyond visual range.At 09:23, Oyster Flight was warned by EC-121 Disco over Laos, and then by the US Navy radar picket ship, the guided missile cruiser USS Chicago, call sign Red Crown, of four MiGs headed towards them.2 Flight[11] came up from below in his J-6 and hit Lodge and Locher's F-4D, Serial Number 65-0784, with his three large, 30 mm cannons as they were lining up a second shot on another MiG-21."[14] Lodge had, about three weeks earlier, told fellow squadron members, as he had done several times before, that he would not allow himself to be captured because of his extensive knowledge of classified and sensitive information.[15] Locher successfully ejected at about 8,000 feet (2,400 m) but because the remaining planes were busy with the other MiGs, and due to smoke, no one saw his parachute canopy.His survival vest contained a pistol, two pints of water, a first aid kit, insect repellent, mosquito netting and a knife.On June 1, 1972, he was finally able to contact a flight of American jets overhead, calling, "Any U.S. aircraft, if you read Oyster 1 Bravo, come up on Guard".Locher's transmissions left some Americans who did not hear his call in doubt about the authenticity of his message, and they believed that the People's Army of Vietnam may have manipulated a POW into impersonating him, setting a trap for the would-be rescuers.[4] A SAR mission of several A-1H Skyraider attack aircraft and two HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant helicopters with F-4 and F-105 fighters providing air protection was launched that same day (June 1), but was driven off by heavy anti-aircraft fire and MiGs.[6] The direct task force of 119 aircraft[19] included two HH-53C rescue helicopters,[18] bombers and an array of F-4 escorts, EB-66s, A-1Hs, F-105G Wild Weasels, and KC-135 tankers."[21]: 30 The Yên Bái air base,[20] about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Hanoi, was one of the most important and well-defended airbases in North Vietnam.The aircraft bombed and strafed around Yên Bái air base for two hours, reducing enemy opposition so that the helicopters could get in.Fortunately for the Americans, during the second half of May 1972 their increasingly fierce attacks on Yen Bai had forced elements of the VPAF 925th Fighter Regiment to relocate to Gia Lam Airfield.Spotting the flash from Locher's signal mirror, Stovall hovered over the steep slope, rotors dangerously close to the trees, and lowered a jungle penetrator under enemy fire.Stovall's citation described how, "...he willingly returned to this high threat area, braving intense ground fire, to recover the downed airman from deep in North Vietnam.After his return to the United States, he attended undergraduate pilot training and was eventually assigned to fly the Phantom again—this time in the front seat.[8] He later played a key role in the early days of the super-secret "black program" that produced the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter.